It was produced by Lil Jon, and one of the first singles to kick off the hyphy movement on a national level and popularized the phrase "ghost ride the whip".

The black and white music video, produced by production company Immigrant Films, was directed and edited by Bernard Gourley and lensed by cinematographer David Claessen.

[3] Filmed at the abandoned 16th Street station in West Oakland,[4] it features cameo appearances from D-Shot, B-Legit, Dem Hoodstarz, Haji Springer, Too Short, Lil Jon, Rick Rock, The Federation, Battle Loco, Lil Scrappy, J. Valentine, Mistah F.A.B., Big Rich, Turf Talk, The Crest Creepaz, Frank D. and the Architeckz turf dancing crew with choreography by Jeriel Bey.

In 2016, director Dante Ariola and cinematographer Chris Soos recreated the music video for a Beats Studio Wireless headphones commercial, also titled – and set to – "Tell Me When to Go", starring Golden State Warriors' power forward Draymond Green and featuring E-40 and cameos by Green's then-Warriors teammates Ian Clark, Brandon Rush, and Shaun Livingston as well as Oakland natives Gary Payton and Brian Shaw.

It explored the part "Tell Me When to Go" played in the Hyphy movement, as well as interviewing many of the well-known artists of the time, such as Keak da Sneak, and Rick Rock.